A cool new steelbook for those collectors out there featuring one of the better found-footage films of the genre, as well as monster movies of our generation. If you don't already own the set, this is out now for you to pick up!
“Celebrating 15 years, this LIMITED EDITION 4k Ultra-HD Steelbook includes a bonus Blu-ray packed with special features, including alternate endings and deleted scenes. A game-changing blockbuster that took the found-footage genre to monstrous new heights, Matt Reeves (The Batman) directs this tale of five young New Yorkers thrown into an unprecedented invasion by a monster the size of a skyscraper.”
The found footage genre definitely has its niche, and there are very few films that have found success, Cloverfield being one of the exceptions. I remember seeing the very first trailer for the film, with nothing much more than the Statue of Liberty head rolling down the streets of New York City. It was an intriguing trailer, and the air of mystery surrounding the film then and even now is one of the driving factors that made it such a success. With the success of Lost J.J. Abrams name was plastered on everything that he was involved in. Funny how marketing works, as well as the mind, because when I think of Cloverfield, I think of Abrams, and not Matt Reeves, the actual director of the film. Regardless, the mystery surrounding the monster was as interesting as learning about the monster on Lost, and for me, I was immediately hooked.
It’s been quite awhile since I’ve seen the film, perhaps not 15 years since it’s release, but a good enough amount of time to forget a few details. As impartial as I try to be about actors and their behavior outside their film roles, I did forget that T.J. Miller was the camera-man, and smarmy commentator, and that was an immediate turn off for me, which is in no way the fault of anyone but him. If you can forget that T.J. Miller exists, and focus on the unfolding story of the attack on New York City by a monstrous creature of immense size and fascinating design, then it’s a short but sweet ride to the devastating conclusion.
A lot of times it’s hard to suspend disbelief when it comes to found footage films. In the horror genre, it can be easier to explain away the cameras, in films such as REC, where it’s a news crew that is filming, or it’s subsequent sequel which takes place at a wedding as documented by a wedding videographer, then abruptly changes into a third person traditional film when it no longer makes sense for someone to lug around a camera everywhere. In Cloverfield, there are lines such as: “People will want to know what happened”, but when you’re dodging alien bugs and jumping from tattered rooftops, there’s a point where you’re thinking more about surviving than documenting. That being said, how many people died last year taking selfies and falling off something? There are many instances in this film that feel that way, a lot less organic than perhaps 15 years ago when found footage was still being done from time to time. The genre may not hold up today, but for the most part, the film does, and being one of the better ones in the genre to be released, that’s saying something.
Video
Cloverfield is presented in 2160p 4k Ultra-High Definition Widescreen 1.78:1 featuring Dolby Vision and HDR10. This title was previously released in 2018 in the UHD format, and as far as I can tell, this is the same transfer as before. That being said, it’s a really well done transfer, for what it is, because it’s honestly hard to improve the quality of found footage films when the filmmakers purposely make them look amateur, dark and grainy. One of the biggest things I noticed in this transfer though was how much easier it was to make out details in a lot of the darker scenes, which is a big portion of the film. Colors are a bit more vibrant, a little bit more detail, but it’s not that type of film that’s going to wow you with the differences in Blu-ray and UHD.
Audio
The audio is presented in Dolby TrueHD 5.1. I really enjoy this track, as it makes great use of the surrounds all throughout the film, to the point I found myself turning my head getting fooled that something was behind me, and that doesn’t happen often. This would be a perfect candidate for an Atmos track with the amount of helicopters and overhead audio being pumped through, but it certainly sounds great with the traditional track that they’ve stuck with on all these releases.
Special Features
The main draw of this 15 year anniversary set is the limited edition steelbook, and I’ll admit, it’s eye-catching. Featuring a transparent slipcover that has the film logo on it, the steelbook cover art depicts the New York City-scape being demolished by the monster.
4k Disc Includes:
- Commentary by Director Matt Reeves
Blu-ray Disc:
- Commentary by Director Matt Reeves
- Special Investigation Mode
- Document 01.18.08: The Making of Cloverfield
- Cloverfield Visual Effects
- I Saw It! It’s Alive! It’s Huge!
- Clover Fun
- Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary
- Alternate Endings with Optional Commentary
Steelbook collectors will find it hard to pass up this collector’s set, but for those who don’t already own the 4k, if you find it at a good price point, it’s worth picking up. This one is out now!
